Traveling with two passports?

[scatteroflight]

I was wondering if anyone could give me any info about this. I'm gonna try and get some more official info this week, but haven't found a lot yet.

I'm going to Ireland this summer, hopefully for a year, to live and work (and I don't want to hear anything about stalking. Chasing U2 is pretty low on my list of priorities--I actually have other reasons for going.) I am a Canadian citizen with a passport, and I am also an Irish citizen with a passport. I was able to become an Irish citizen through my Irish-born grandfather.

I don't know if there are rules for traveling with two passports. Do you only ever show one at a time at border crossings? Where I think this could be a difficulty is when I go over to Wales, which I will do shortly after I get to Ireland. I'm going to be in Wales for about two weeks, and traveling around somewhat. I bought a Britrail pass to travel around Wales, and I have to show my Canadian passport to validate it, because I bought the pass in Canada. So the travel agent told me I should travel on my Canadian passport.

So, basically, I have to enter Ireland on my Irish passport to show that I have the right to work there, but then I have to enter the UK on my Canadian passport. If I show my Canadian passport when entering the UK, will they be suspicious because I'm coming from Ireland and there are no signs of that in my Canadian passport? Or, when I re-enter Ireland on the Canadian passport (which I assume I would have to do) are they going to tell me that as a Canadian citizen I only have the right to stay for so long? Or should I just show them both passports and explain the situation.

The problem here is really the Britrail pass, in a way, otherwise I could just use the Irish passport...I have a feeling I'm making life difficult for myself!!

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See the bird with the leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colours came out

 

[Lilly]

Whew! This makes me happy to be a citizen of one country! Ehm, I don't know how to solve your problem, for two reasons. The first being that I don't know what a Britail pass is and the second being I got very lost in that last paragraph!

Have fun and good luck!!

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Official member of S.C.

Do rabbits get scurvy?

 

[scatteroflight]

Originally posted by Lilly:
Whew! This makes me happy to be a citizen of one country! Ehm, I don't know how to solve your problem, for two reasons. The first being that I don't know what a Britail pass is and the second being I got very lost in that last paragraph!

Have fun and good luck!!

Britrail is the UK rail system, and they offer various passes for traveling by rail and bus to people outside of the UK.

I know what you mean--it was quite a big project to get that Irish citizenship, and now that I have it I'm very happy that it allows me to live and work freely all over the EU--but I'm also thinking "This does make my life more complicated in some ways!" Thanks anyway for the good wishes.

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See the bird with the leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colours came out

 

[Angel]

Well, I am no expert but I would suggest travelling with your Irish Passport. You will be a resident of Ireland, living and working there and therefore should travel with that one. Only bring out the Canadian passport when needed for the Britrail. Question: why does the Britrail pass request a Canadian passport? Seems odd.
Anyway, good luck and have fun! U2 stalker... Just Kidding!!

 

[bono_man]

Originally posted by Angel:
Well, I am no expert but I would suggest travelling with your Irish Passport. You will be a resident of Ireland, living and working there and therefore should travel with that one. Only bring out the Canadian passport when needed for the Britrail. Question: why does the Britrail pass request a Canadian passport? Seems odd.
Anyway, good luck and have fun! U2
stalker... Just Kidding!!

Britrail use passports for ID purposes. I travelled with Britrail last year and you only actually need the passport to validate the Britrail Pass on your first journey, after that they just look at the ticket. You'll also find the borders are all very relaxed. I flew from London to Dublin last year and didnt need to produce my passport.

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"Your sun so bright it leaves no shadows, only scars. Carved into stone on the face of earth"
- One Tree Hill

jonedwards80@hotmail.com

 

[Angel]

Originally posted by bono_man:
Britrail use passports for ID purposes. I travelled with Britrail last year and you only actually need the passport to validate the Britrail Pass on your first journey, after that they just look at the ticket

Yes, but jonbonojovi_boy, if they just need it for ID purposes, then why can't she simply use her Irish Passport? Why must they need to see her Canadian?

 

[anitram]

Maybe because the person paid a different price for the Britrail pass as a Canadian.

Last year, when I went to London, I bought a pass for the Underground, and I bought it in Toronto, at a discounted rate, as a tourist. When I came to pick it up in Heathrow, I had to produce my passport.

 

[scatteroflight]

Originally posted by anitram:
Maybe because the person paid a different price for the Britrail pass as a Canadian.

That's basically the idea. I'm down on the ticket as being a Canadian.

Bono_man, do you know if they'll care if I just use my Irish passport to travel with and then show the Canadian passport for the Britrail thing? I just wonder if they would ask why the Canadian passport hadn't been stamped or something. Did you go London-Dublin before Sept 11 or after? If before, most likely they're checking things more carefully now.

Thanks for the comments, everyone...



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See the bird with the leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colours came out

 

[sulawesigirl4]

I'd say use the Irish one for everything except the Britrail. Usually the deals you get with buying the Britrail from outside the country require you to be from the States or Canada...at least if it's anything like Eurail.

I went through customs in London and Glasgow post 9/11 and didn't find it to be any more difficult.

 

[Angel]

Originally posted by scatteroflight:
I just wonder if they would ask why the Canadian passport hadn't been stamped or something.

Well... I have done a lot of travelling and most places I have ventured to, look at my passport, but never stamp it. So I wouldn't let that concern you (And yes, I have travelled after 9/11). When you travel bw Britain and Ireland, no one even asks for ID.

 

[scatteroflight]

Originally posted by Angel:
Well... I have done a lot of travelling and most places I have ventured to, look at my passport, but never stamp it. So I wouldn't let that concern you (And yes, I have travelled after 9/11). When you travel bw Britain and Ireland, no one even asks for ID.

Cool. I'm going to try and ask officialdom before I go anyway, but your suggestions make good sense

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See the bird with the leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colours came out